Irish teens among the unhappiest in the world and pandemic deepened the crisis
A new report by UNICEF claims Irish teenagers are amongst the unhappiest in the world because they succeed academically but struggle in life.
Around 33% of the teens claim to have a low satisfaction with their lives, according to UNICEF's Report Card 19: Child Wellbeing at Risk in an Unpredictable World. It warned that Ireland's youth suicide rate is above the international average after comparing the wellbeing of teens across 43 OECD and EU countries.
The Covid-19 pandemic, school closures, social isolation and separation from their peers and support systems, plus health concerns like weight are all referenced in the report. UNICEF claimed that these issues have 'deepened existing inequalities', especially amongst teens from disadvantaged areas.
A UNICEF spokesperson said: 'The aftershocks of the pandemic, combined with economic pressures and digital harm, are reversing decades of progress in child wellbeing. Governments are urged to centre children in recovery plans and ensure young people have a voice in shaping their futures.
The spokesperson added: 'Irish teenagers are among the least happy in high-income countries, despite leading the world in academic skills. While Ireland ranks first for academic performance, it falls to 24th for adolescent mental wellbeing — placing it in the bottom half globally.
'The findings reveal that nearly one in three 15-year-olds in Ireland report low life satisfaction. The country's youth suicide rate stands at 6.4 per 100,000, which is above the international average. The report analyses changes from 2018 to 2022, a period marked by the Covid-19 pandemic, school closures, and widespread social isolation.
'The report also highlights physical health risks. In Ireland, more than one in four children and adolescents (25.7%) are overweight or obese."
UNICEF Ireland responded to the report by urging the Government to 'take targeted actions to protect child wellbeing, including'.
The charity's executive director Peter Power warned: 'These findings are stark. Ireland's teens are succeeding in school, but struggling in life. We must match our investment in academic achievement with the same urgency for mental and emotional wellbeing.'
UNICEF Ireland's head of advocacy, Aibhlin O'Leary, said: 'The pandemic has deepened existing inequalities, setting a troubling precedent for children's wellbeing, particularly among those from disadvantaged and marginalised backgrounds."
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